dwmcn

I didn't like Portillo when he was an MP, but quite like his railway programs. I can't stand that smarmy Brandreth. David

People from St Albans are called Albanians. David

Mark Horton removed several layers of the mound that he shouldn't have and the scar remained until the site was finished. Monty Don wouldn't have done that. He chose to dig in the wrong place on Time Team. Monty wouldn't... Carol Klein sounds like she is laughing when she talks and her garden looks like a mess to me. A bit like ours. We have been to Villandry, Chenenceau, gardens in Paris, and several chateaus in the Dordogne. Have you seen Rhatz's ten things about archaeology? My French, like with most Americans, is relatively nonexistent. I can read menus and bits of local newspapers to look for vide greniers, brocante, and the like. My wife speaks very good French, which, unmfortunately, means I don't need to try. 

I got your PM and, yes, I remember you, or at least your name. I still have the Repton Dig Lists from 1983 and 1985. Even though Alan Titchmarsh, Tommy Boyd, and Charlie Dimmock did a lot of digging on Ground Force, none of them were at Repton. Nor was Monty Don or Geoff Hamilton. Ah yes, good old Harold Taylor, the doyen (as M Biddle used to say) of Anglo Saxon architecture. He also taught mathematics. I assume that since he was 80ish then, he is no longer with us. Didn't he marry his much younger secretary? He locked his keys in his car and using my Ameican 'knowhow', I broke in and recovered them for him. I also calculated the height of the church tower for him using the theodolite and my pocket calculator. Hey, I was probably close. I started out at Repton supervising a site on the cliff beside The Hall digging the remains of the ditch. I, and they, realised that I was better working by myself, so I planned for the rest of my years there, first by the church, then on the mound with Helen Bamford, then here in St Albans. I met a woman at a Wine Society dinner in France near the Society's headquarters at Montrieul (?sp) who knew Helen, but Helen didn't know who I was referring to. Old age, I guess. I assume you know that Birthe Biddle passed away a couple of years ago. My wife and I and several others from St Albans attended her funeral in Winchester Cathedral. I saw Hamish, now a Dentist, Helen, the Biddle kids, and Mark Horton, also of Coast and Time Team, there. Mark worked on the mound and in St Albans. Monty Don wasn't available... David

And the famous cricketer CB Fry is buried near the site we dug next to the church. They recently put a new, bigger headstone on his grave. Monty Don was in France at the time or he would have been there to dedicate it.

Harold was in his ?80s at the time. I think Tommy Boyd was also there...

I get the impression that nearly everybody on this forum has either been to Repton or knows somebody who has. Except for Monty Don, that is...

I think Repton, like all public schools, was full of chinless wonders. I stayed in two houses there. It's amazing the people you can meet on the internet who have been places you have been.

You worked with Martin Biddle? Whast's your name? David

I see my longer post is now here twice. Ain't technology wonderful? I worked in archaeology in Winchester, Repton, and St Albans for the same archaeologist. David

Darn, I forgot to say David...

OK, I'll try the longer one again. We live near Catherine Street. My first year in England was in 1970, in Winchester, so I got to use the old money (I must be thinking French as I typed monet) for one year. I still have some. But then, I also have some francs. We would love to own a house near Sarlat as we have holidays at a campsite near Daglan using Eurocamp. They provide large tents with all the 'trimmings', so it really isn't camping. There used to be a company near St Albans called French Country Camping that we used and it got taken over by Eurocamp. We used be able to drive right to their office and book our holiday. We recently had the opportunity to buy a used mobile home in Brittany near Pont Aven  for £3,000 from somebody we met in a pub, but we couldn't afford the yearly fees. We need to find somebody to share it with. 

Testing to see if this gets sent. A longer one didn't. David

We live near Catherine Street. My first year in England was 1970, in Winchester, so I got to use the old money (must have been thinking French, I typed monet) for one year. I still have some. But then, I also have some francs. You probably aren't familiar with the present, large, Sainsburys. We would love to be able to afford a house near Sarlat as we often stay at a campsite near Daglan using Eurocamp. They provide large tents with all the trimmings and it really isn't camping. We will be there in late June and early July. There was a company near St Albans called French Country Camping that we used to use and it was taken over by Eurocamp. We could drive right to their office and book the holiday. We recently had the chance to buy a mobile home from somebody we met in a pub. It was in southern Brittany near Pont Aven, and while we could afford the £3,000 for the mobile, we couldn't afford the yearly fees. We need to find somebody to share it with us.

Your lucky to get a return ticket to London for less than ten pounds. We live near the hospital. That's why men prefered Dimmock to Titchmarch. David McNickle, hence dwmcn

I preferred Charlie Dimmock...

And bagpipes for Scotland. I thought it was Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah being sung by a male choir for Wales. I mentioned Titchmarsh.

I live in St Albans and always avoid Watford.

I'm an American who has been living in England for a long time and I hate it when programs about the US have twangy hillbilly music for background music.

His real name is Alan Titchmarsh. He only goes by Monty Don when he is in France.

We are usually in France for the first couple of stages of the Tour. We go into the bar of the campsite we are staying on and annoy the staff by telling them to change the TV to France 2 so that we can watch it. They are usually listening to rubbish music. Too bad one of the French announcers and former Tour winner ?Laurent Fignon died. We got used to hearing him.  

I quite enjoyed the series. Most Brits have terrible French accents. At least Don tried. C'est la vie.

But I live in Ingerlund.

I have a pair of Fiskars garden shears with extendable handles that I use quite a lot.

Hoddy,  I'm 72 and the last thing I need is more garden tools or clothes. Maybe some Norfolk lavender would do for his garden or some marmalade made from Saville oranges. Bon Mamon orange preserves is nice, but not bitter like the real thing. Also, raspberry or strawberry jam made in GB. Oddly enough, our daughter lives in the same road as David Austin roses in Albrighton. David McN.